quantitie At length should come vnto a nullitiâ— If death could something to a nothing bring Then should that change be vtter perishing Exemplificâ—tiâ— Sometimes the mountaines prouder tops do fall But then the dales are filled therewithall And when as Rhone or Thesis swelling pride Doth ouerflow the field through which they glide No more on either side is drownd and lost Then is recouerd on the other coast The louely heauen doth showre downe many a floud That his beloued spouse the earth may bud Which she repaâ—es squirting them vp amaine Through hidden poares of hearbes and trees againe He that this only obseruation makes Simil. How waxe a hundred diuerse fashion takes Yet still the same to him the daily change Of this inferiour world cannot be strange The worlds First maâ—ter is this waxe vnformed Which with a thousand formes is all adorned The forme is the seale and heauens great King Is this high Chancelor who with his ring His great or lesser seales doth print vpon her Which sometime bring her shame and somtimes honor With vs is nothing firme and constant here Both life and death in turne do dominere One bodie springs not till another fade Onely the matter is immortall made Gods writing table bodie of this All Receiuer of what accidents befall All like it selfe all in it selfe compacted It neither is enlarged nor contracted Whose essence is vuchanged but her shape No fewer outward fashions doth escape Then Proteus or the fish cald Manie-feete Which for to prey amid the watrie deepe Himselfe discolours and in imitation Fitly resembles our French-neighbour nation Matâ—riâ— prima Gallâ— similis Which like an ape doth euermore delight To be in stranger fashions alway dight Whose shirt no oftner suffers any change Then his apparell doth a fashion strange This Matter is a Lais whose delight Would chaunge a hundred louers in a night Who scarcely of some yonkers arme vnlaced Hath in her cogitation straight embraced Anothers culling and her nouell sport Doth cause her wish for plentie of that sort For this same matter prickt with strong desire Of change and yet vnable to attire Her selfe with euery shape doth by succession Receiue in euery part a new impression The cause of the transâ—utation of the elemenâ—s The chiefest cause of these euanishments Is deadly fewd of our foure elements Which in their turne do prey one on the other As snow and water being maide and mother Do make a mutuall change each of these foure In two chiefe qualities doth shew his powre Whereof the one doth still the scepter sway To whom the other doth his homage pay Those elements whose forces disagree And wholy sauour of antipathie Maintaine a longer fight in open field Or either of them to the other yeeld The fire to water turnes not speedily Nor doth the aire rauen so greedily Vpon the earth for being deadly foes They fight both with their fingers and their toes But aire to water earth to fire likewise Doth sooner turne for that they symbolize Some qualitie and easier t is to quell One enemie then two that do rebell Sith then this worlds children none can see Vntill these elements conioyned be In holy wedlocke and that nothing dies Till by diuorce these foure are enemies Which by vnconstant changing of their place Produce those various formes wherwith the face Of this great All is so embellished Simil. Iust as a song is sweetly relished With some few notes in sundrie line and space Which by their charming sweet harmonious grace Do make the hearers eares the broad high way By which they may their soules from them conuey Or as the letters of the Alphabet Simil. By being in a diuerse order set Do make these words and then these words againe Which here do flow from my poëtike braine Changing their rancke enrich these sacred lines With choice of new discourse a thousand times It wants not reason why Gods carefâ—ll hand Sharing among them all their common land Gaue eaâ—h a place fit for his quantitie Which also might preserue his qualitie He then that sees a drossie wedge of gold Examplâ— Maiâ—terd by Vâ—lâ—an how it doth vnfold His wished riches and how lingringly The gold vnto the gold doth striue to sliâ— The siluer seekes the siluer and the brasse Betweene them both doth run and how that masse Composd of peeces neither like his fellow Doth branch it selfe in streames blacke white and yelloâ— He doth conceiue that soone as God assigned A place to which each one should be confined The earth the fire the water and the aire Vnto their like do speedily repaire So then this Chaos muddie lees do sinke The situâ—tioâ— of tâ—e â—arth the fiâ—e Right downeward by their naturall instinct The fire doth trie a new conclusion Runs through the chinkes of this Confusion And sparkleth vpward by his nimble pace And of this lower world gets highest place As one may see when as the dawne doth paint Simil. The Zenith of Catay with colours quaint Dead pooles to reake and from the poarie ground Exhaled vapours in the aire abound Thâ— situation of tâ—e vvatâ—r and the aire But least the fire which doth the rest inclose Should burne the earth by his too neare repose As arbiters betweene such deadly foes Did God the water and the aire dispose One of which two could neuer end their fight The water pâ—rent-like would take delight To helpe the earth the ayer would desire T'vphold the quarrell of his cousin fire But both of them their sundred loue vniting Might quickly end their quarrell and their fighting Which questionlesse if 't had not bene perfouâ—ned This new-made world to his first state had turned The aire is plac'd aboue the water vnder No chance but God so placing them asunder Who that each thing in other may take pleâ—sure Hath made his works in number waight and measure For if neare Vulcan Neptune had his place Thâ—t cholericke element would straight embrace Suspect of outrage and his place forsake That of his wrong some iudgement he might take Now then the linkes of this most holy chaine Which doth the members of this All containe Are such as he alone can them vntie Who linked them together cunningly The water armd with moisture and with cold Doth in one arme the cold-drie earth enfold And in the other doth the aire embrace The aire as hote and moist doth hie apace To ioyne himselfe by heate vnto the fire And by his moisture water doth desire Simil. As when the shepheardesses chaunce to meete Trampling the flowers with their tripping feete Marrying their pitches to the oaten sounds And sportfully do daunce their rusticke rounds Vnder the branches of some shadie tree By ioyning hand in hand so coupled be As that the first clinching her fellow fast Is ioyned by her fellowes to the last For sith the earth alonely doth not nourish VVhy thâ—â—â—rtâ— is thâ— câ—â—ter of thâ— vvorld Those
can in prose performe But when the tongues on numbred feete do sticke It 's hard two tongues discordant to conforme Who word for word and phrase for phrase translates In verse may vaunt he earnes his Authors fame But but few tongues are tyde t' our English pates That can with ease directly do the same Many translators haue we but not many That turne not th' Authors meaning with his words Famous were England if she had not any That to them selues such libertie affords To translate so is to adulterate And all Adulterers God and men do hate Omne bonum Dei donum The Argument OVr Poet intending a Dâ—scouâ—se of the worlds creation and hauing in the first day of this Weeke indiciously declared that the world had a beginning against the absurd paradoxes of some doting philosophers which held that it was from all eternity and haâ—ing both taxed and answered their aâ— heisticall curiositie which busie their â—dle and addle brains about enquiring what God did before the creation prouing also that there can be but one world and confuting diuerse othâ—r errors of the anciâ—nts sheweth that God â—irst made some cònfused matter or Chaos of which he afterward framed the particular parts of the whole body of this world And then shortly and sweetly discoursing of the light the dâ—y and the night â—ith the singular commodities redounding to maÌ„kind by their successiue reuolutions he ends that booke with the creation of the Angels All which being learnedly perfourmed â—e addresseth himselfe in this second booke to the dâ—ciphering of the second dayes creation Whereiâ— first he layeth open thâ— vanitie of the lasciuious and wenching pamphleters of our age which prodigally spend their precious time in adorning some degenerate impâ— or loose-liuing Lady with those honors which should be onely confined to vertuous designâ—ments Then he inuoketh the assâ—stance of Gods spirite and briefly proposing his chast intention fals directly to the handling of the â—lements their number and composition in mixt bodies of the commoditie and inconuenience of their agreeing or disagreeing proportions in mans bodie then reasoning of their continuance he refutes diâ—erse errors touching the generation corruption and alteration of things in their matter and forme After breathing a while he enters a discourse of the Aire shewing how it is deuided what the temperature of each region is with the causes of the same and how the mists the blasts the clouds the deaw the yee and other waterie meteors are ingendred and consequently intreateth of the falling starres and comets with the rest of the fiery impressions which are often seene in the two extreme regions of the aire Hereunto he adioyneth a philosophicall narration of the thunder and lightning touching in briefe their strange yet certaine effects not omitting for the more absolute complement of his discourse to assigne probable reasons of the raine-bow the circles about the Sunne and Moone and the many Sunnes and Moones which affright the ignorant with their appearance But albeit he shewes himself a Philosopher in producing these naturall reasons yet he would haue euery man to shew himselfe a Christian in not wholy resting satisfied with these second causes but euer so to acknowledge the wisedome of the Almighty that he rather admire the creator then adore the creature adding thereunto the religious vse which Christians should make of these impressions and prodigious signes And that he may clip the wings of mans pride which is wont to soare beyond it selfe in self-conceits he demonstrates how it is impossible for the most cunning naturalist to render sound reasons of all accidents Then leauing the aire he ouerthrowes their opinion which hold but three elements and shewes the difference between that elementarie and our compounded fire adioyning therunto a briefe treatise of the matter the motion and number of the celestial spheares And answering those which are of opinion that there are no waters aboue the firmament he assumes a fit occasion to mention the generall floud with an elegant description whereof he ends this second dayes worke All which excellent points he adornes with such pleasant illustrations that Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit vtile dulci. The second day of the first Weeke of the Lord Bartas THose Learned wits whose soothing rimes do change The vâ—nity of lasciuious Poets Fowle into faire and lewd with chast do range And of a bastard dwarfe blind â—â—irting boy Do make a god nay all the gods to sway They lose both seed and trauell of their hand In plowing of th' vngratefull fruitlesse sand And setting nets for to intrap the winde Of some vaine praise which doth their wisedome blinde They imitate the Spiders curious paine Which weaues a needlesse web withouâ—en gaine But though more deare then time we nought possesse Yet would I grieue their losse of that the lesse If by their guilefull verse their too much Art Made not their hearers share with them a part The sugred baite of those their learned writs Doth shrowd that poison which the yonger wits Quaffe downe with breathlesse draughts and loues hote wine Making them host at drunken Bacchus signe Distempers so their stomacks that they feede On such ill meats as no good humours breede Their charming numbers with a mightie glaunce Cast headlong downe fresh readers to mischaunce Which by a vaine desire soone make them â—lide From this liues mountaine where they might abide The songs to which their Muse sweete notes doth frame Are bellowes of lewd lust which do enflame That wanton heate which yet yong tender age In modest ashes keepes in vassallage The chast inâ—eÌ„tion of the L. Baâ—tas Now all such as I am I haue deuoted That art and wit which heauen hath me allotted To th' honor of great Ioue such verse to frame As virgins reading need not blush for shame Inuocatio Thou Learnings spring soule of this worldly round Sith thou wilt haue my low-tun'd verse to sound Of thy great praise graunt that my keaking quill Celestiall Nectar euer may distill And fill this volume with her hornes store Which cherisht once a god then late y bore That in some rate it may be correspondent To the greatnesse of so graue an argument Rid cleane the path which now I am to tread From bushie brakes which do it ouer-spread Throughout my course so lend me still thy lighâ— That to my Inne I may arriue ere night The chaos created of nothing That endlesse end broade length and heigth profound Which yet no world yet was a worldly round That massie lumpe which nourisht ciuill hatred Was instantly of verie nought created And was that fertile soile from which should grow Earth water aire the fire and heauen also Thâ— compositioÌ„ of â—he foâ—â—e â—lementâ— iâ— mixt â—odies Now these foure brethren two-twind generation Thus made not onely keepe their seuerall station But are the simples too to make the mixt Of euery thing whereon our sense is fixt Whether their onely qualities
remaine And in each part of each mixt bodie raigne Or their essentiall formes be all combined These foure as one sole bodie are defined Siâ—ile As in a chrystall glasse we see the bloud Of grapes allaide with Achelouâ— floud Or as the meate and drinke which we haue singled Out for our nouriture in vs is mingled And by our inward heate yeelds moisture good To be conuerted into purest bloud This in a burning brand we see full plaine Example His firetowers vp his heauenly home t' attaine His aire to smoake hiâ— earth to ashes goeth Out of his knobs the boiling water floweth Like warre our bodies quiet peace maintaineth For fire and aire in vitall spirâ—ts remaineth The flesh is earth the humors water be Yea in each particle we plainely see Each of these mingled though some ones minority Among his brethren beares not like authority So in the bloud those muddie lees which craue As being earthie lowest place to haue Are melancholy in the middle swimmes The purest bloud like aire about the brimmes Lies watrie phlegme and on the top there â—ubbles That firie choler which so many troubles Yet in the bodie no one element One element â—lvvâ—â—es predominâ—nt in â—ixt bodies Doth daily play the king but is content To take his turne and so his subiectâ— awes As if they take new Lord he makes new lawes As each good townse-man bloud or wealth nought heeding Simile Is rul'd which earst in ruling made proceeding In a free citie which doth lose his fashion Soone as the rulers suffer alteration For the light vulgar tost with euerie wind Are to their princes humors still enclind Cameleon-like which change of colours weareth As oft as change of obiect him anneareth Example So th' element of which wine most partaketh Now moist now dry now hote now cold it maketh And as these foure are coupled more or lesse So do th' effects and tast the same expresse So that in time the iuyce of grapes vnripe Becomes new wine to fill the emptie pipe And that same new growes good as it growes old Which kept too long for vineger is sold. Any eleâ—ent excessiâ—ely predomiâ—â—nt iâ— dangerous to tâ—e bodie Now whiles the Prince which keepes the rest in aw Doth subiugate his greatnesse to the law He rules in safetie and doth still increase His commons ioy for their so happie peace But if of subiects bloud which he doth spill By dint of sword he neuer take his fill At length his rage dispeopling so his land Must leaue his realme to sauage beasts command Right so as long as some one element Doth rule the rest with modest gouernment And a proportion in the humors found Though some do more then other some abound The bodie 's in faire plight as those faire lines Drawne on the surface are thereof good signes Caligula But if that cruell king it represent Who wisht that all of his great regiment Had one sole necke that at one chop he might Butcher all Rome in furious despight Then doth it breed corruption of the rest And th' house whereof the tyrant is possest Doth by degrees decay so that the eye The bodies totall change may soone descrie Excesse oâ— moistâ—re câ—â—setâ— the dropsie So whensoere the liuer is opprest With moisture which it cannot well digest Which runs along the flesh it makes it swell And stops the conduit pipes which should eâ—pell Moist excrements and bolteth fast the dore Which to the panting breath should euermore Yeeld backe and in the water doth torment The dropsie-sicke with thirstie languishment Nor doth it leaue the patient any rest Vntill the graue be of his corps possest Excesse of driâ—esse causeth the Hectique â—â—â—er So too much drought a lingring feuer breeds Which with some paine on th' Hectique daily feedes Feebles the sinewes clads the heart with griefe The face with sadnesse playes the very thiefe In stealing from the limmes their moist reliefe Like as the flaming torch which is the chiefe Cause of his peecemeale burning cleane away Feeds by his life liues by his owne decay Nor doth it lâ—nd the patient any rest Vntill the graue be of his corps possest So too much heate doth breed the feauer lourdane Excessâ— of hâ—atâ— the cause of thâ— quartaâ—e ague The tongue surcharging with a slimie burthen And makes the drudging pulse to trot apace And in the braine more diuerse shapes doth trace With a fantasticke pencill then can art Or chance or Nature to the eye impart Nor doth it lend the burning patient rest Vntill the graue be of his corps possest So too much cold vpon the aged pate Excesse of cold causeth old age Doth clap a hoarie fleece and doth abate The flesh and furrowes vp the late-smooth forehead Hollowes the eyes and makes a man abhorred Vnto himselfe and gliding through each part Doth by his winters freeze the very heart Nor doth it lend the aged any rest Vntill the graue be of his corps possest Yet thinke not that this great excesse doth bring Nibil in â—ibilum riducitur Annihilation vnto any thing It onely doth diuersifie the fashion So as the matter by this commutation Do it within or else without remaine Nor can be sayd to lose nor yet to gaine What ere is made is of that matter fram'd Which in the ancient nought the * Mâ—tâ—riâ—â—rima First was nam'd And whatsoeuer is resolu'd againe Vnto that former matter runnes amaine For since that God of nothing made this All â—x niâ—ilâ—â—iâ—il fit Of nought is nothing made nor euer shall Ought vnto nought be brought but all that 's borne Or dyes againe doth onely change his forme His bodie sometimes shrinkes sometimes is lengthened Sometimes is thickened sometimes straightened 〈◊〉 And if in sooth of nothing bodies were The earth vntild should fruit abundant beare Desired children virgins should enioy And each thing grow each where without annoy The thirstie hart should in the Ocean lie The monstrous whale should dwell vpon the drie The fleecie sheepe should grase amid the aire The seruice tree and eke the pine-tree faire Should take their rooting in the raging floud Out of the oke the ches-nut tree should bud And from the ches nut tree should achornes fall And natures lawes being violated all The eagle with the silly doue should match And each of these the others broode should hatch Nothing can enlarge it selfe by it selfâ— And if that bodies of themselues could grow Then man which in his growing is so slow Should instantly be of that very stature Which in full age is giuen him by nature Vnplanted trees with leauie branches dight Should rob the shaded groues of Phoebus light The suckling elephant his backe should yeeld Vnto the warlike castle for the field The yongling Colt couragiously should neigh Bucephal-like in warre to breake the ray Contrariwise if ought annihild be Then whatsoere we touch or tast or see Still losing something of his
creatures which in the same do flourish But which is more doth with her dugs supply Foode to the winged people of the skie And gluts the scaly troupe with longed food Whâ—ch cleaue the billowes of the briny floud So that what ere doth creepe runne swimme or flie Is by this Mother nourced carefully It did behoue that she should counter-waigh Her selfe that so she might the firmer stay Against the barking of the stonnie maine And might the anger-swollen cheekes disdaine Of Auster who in parching heate delighteth And Boreas who with freezing cold still fighteth It did behoue her body dull and flow Should farthest be from heauen here below That she might nere be wheel'd about by force Of heauens swift and neuer-resting course Which doth with strong and stubborne rauishment Pull round about the highest element And sith againe that the harmonious course Of heauenly planets is th' immortall source Of life in earthly things and that their changing Is caused by the starres their circled ranging Th' Almightie could no fitter lodge prouide Whereas our grandame earth might well abide Then in the center of this worldly round For vitall beames wherewith the starres abound Do shatter downe their powerfull influence Vpon the aire his waving residence On th' arched fire and on the swelling maine Where scaly people wanting lungs remaine But they in fine vnite their forces all Within the circle of this earthy ball Simil. Which is the worlds naue like as we may See in a wheele which chalketh out his way Amid the mudde whose widest spoakes do meete Within the button by their ioyned feete Simil. And as the Sunne doth pierce the window glasse So do these starrie influences passe Through euerie part without impediment Of the transparant firie element The regions of the aire and water bright But not the earth wherein is firmely pight The worlds foundation so that we name And iustly too the water aire and flame The concubines of euer-mouing heauen For that his Sunne and Moone and Starry-seuen Neuer inioy their loue but when by chance By these three regions along they glance When heauen husband-like hath no intent To be diuorc'd from the driest element And with such seed as still doth animate Each liuing thing he doth engrauidate The fruitfull earth his lawfull wedded bride And with a bodie so diuersifide In disposition and in outward forme He doth the structure of this All adorne VVhy the vvaâ—er is placed betvveene the earth and the aire The water lighter then the earthie lumpe And heauier then the aire doth pitch his iumpe Betweene them both that being moist and cold By those two qualities he may be bold To slacke the thirstie drinesse of our Mother And coole the feruor of his airie brother Apostrophe ad Musam suam But whither away my Muse thou wanton stay Spend not thy Poetry at one essay Surcease to day to sing of sea and land Their compasse power and praise and where they stand Do not too hastily preuent the time Wherein the world was in his flowing prime Leâ—ue mountaine rockes with waters ouer-spread Till Phoebus rise againe from 's easterne bed For when he shewes againe his blushing face Then shall Gods powerfull hand asunder place These mingled bodies and shall richly dight The earth with bushie trees of goodly height It 's time my loue my ioy and onely deare To soare aloft to lodge no longer here Or neuer now t is time to graft my wings On thy immortall virgin-pinâ—onings That on thy backe I being nimbly light May safely vnto heauen take my flight Come come then luckily thy shoulder lend That mounted on the same I hence may wend To gaine that crowne to win that wreathed bay Which neuer Poets that in Fraunce did sway Did weare and which the heauens nigardize Hath long concealed from my longing eyes The aire which foggie mists doth entertaine The aire hovâ— and vvhy it is dâ—uided into three râ—gâ—oâ—s The play-game of the tempests and the raine Th' inconstant house where winged clouds abide Swift Aeolâ—s his kingdome and his pride The shop where winds are sold whose trafficke maketh That euerie mouing thing of life partaketh Is not all one for men by learning guided Into three lofts hau 't rightfâ—lly deuided Whereof the high'st for that the restlesse course Regiâ— suprema Of the first Mouer puls it round by force From Eaâ—t to West and likewise from the West Vnto the place where faire Aurora's drest And for it bounds vpon the burning â—â—ame The learned do this loft the hottest name That loft wherein we breath by turne doth hold Regio infima Now melting heate now all-congealing cold Now neither so his waters in the Spring Are coldly hote in Autumne wauering In winter cold and hote in sommers raigne For then the earth rebatâ—th backe againe Those beames which starrie bow-men shoote apace Especially the Sunne the heauens chiefe grace Who for his shafts doth eueâ—â—ore dâ—light To make the circled earth his but tand white Mediâ—â—â—â—io The middle-loft for that it still remaineth Farre from the burning â—eeling which containeth This lower world in his firie seate Vnable also to partake the heate Which from the earth is banded bolt-vpright Doth in continuall freezing take delight For how could water hardned be to haile Euen when the sommer heate doth so preuaile That haruest fields looke white if yâ—ie cold His shiuering climates did not all enfold VVhy the middle region is thâ— câ—ldâ—st Assoone as Phoebus hath his court remoued From the * Tâ—â— sigâ—â— Gemini two twinnes so mutually beloued And takes his lodging with his * Cancer Crabbed hoste Or panting Lyon then this middle coast His cold redoubleth for enuironed With heate of armies newly mustered Which more then ere are now encouraged To haue his coldest times vnwintered Delayes the time to traine his men no longer His forces ioyn'd together are the stronger Sâ—mil As Christians leauing farre their natiue land Feare not the furie of the Turkish band Marching disorderly make now and then As many squadrons as there be of men So that sometime the clownes with bils and bowes Driue them before them with their stubborne blowes But when they see the Mooned flags appeare Armes of old Ottoman and when they heare The horrid thunder of cannons sound Which by their shocke do leuell with the ground The strongest wals that euer yet immured Rhodes and Belgrada while their prime indured Straight they retire and in some neighbour plaine Do set themselues in order all againe Their warlike courage doth increase their strength Their bloud doth boile for heate and at the length The bordring circumcised peoples aide Doubling their forces makes their foes afraid This antiperistasis for t is no danger Tâ—e effeâ—â—s of the Aâ—tipâ—risâ—aâ—â—s of the â—iâ—â—le râ—gioâ— To naturalize a word that is a stranger Yea in this worke where we haue no one word That doth so strong an emphasis afford Doth cause
their standards as it did ensue O franticke Fraunce how is' t thou gainest nought An aposâ—opâ—â— to his oâ—vne countrey of Fraunce By all those signes whereby thy God hath sought To call thee home canst thou with tearlesse eyes Behold those fearefull firie prodigies Wherewith the heauens do vs all affright That * He vnderstands the comet seene in the yeare 1577 blazing starre which threatens euerie night Our land with warre with pestilence and hunger Three deadly points of that prepared thunder Which when th' Almightie ginneth once to frowne On vs rebellious men he powreth downe But what alas can heauen vnarm'd preuaile When as thy backe thresh'd with so many a flaile Drawes not one sigh from thy obdurate heart Thou art delighted with thy painefull smart Thy hunger makes thee on thy flesh to feed And makes thy bloud thy drinke and thou indeed As dull as one that hath the lethargie Shunnest the salue might cure thy maladie The more thou feel'st the spurre the more thou tirest And voide of holy care thou lesse desirest T' amend thy wayes but like an Asse dost striue To fat thy selfe with blowes with losse to thriue And as the iron or the steeled blade So thou by hammering art harder made But better t were I see this talke to end Then speaking to the deafe my time mispend I see t were better tread my wonted way And in my verse Gods greatest workes display Of the elementarie fiâ—â— As then in court the king is hemmed in With princes of his royall bloud and kin And next to them with nobles of his traine And after them with magistrates againe Marching along in order and degree As they are nearest to his Maiestie So God in order wisely did dispose That Cinthia should that element enclose Which did in his resplendent actiuenesse The nature of the heauens best expresse And after him the others as they bene Annear'd vnto the planets by their kin And yet foole-many crediting their eyes Aboue their reason many wayes deuise To pull this essence from his natiue place And with his want this lower All deface The fier giuing brightnesse heate and flame Ignis encomium Welspring of motion Alchymist of fame A cleanser quickner smith and souldier Bell-founder surgeon cooke and cannoner And goldsmith too which doth and can do all Embracing round the aire and earthie ball If so the fire say they encamped be Obiâ—ction Betweene the heauen and vs then should we see The same by night for then our eyes do marke The shining glowormes in the greatest darke Besides how should we see the worldes eynâ— Throughout so great an element to shine Sith that with vs the sharpest sighted eye Can nothing through a candles flame espie You vnbeleeuing men if so the puffes Solutiâ—n Of wanton Zephirus or angrie snuffes Of rainie Auster made you not beleeue They haue a being you would credence giue That from the earth vnto the firmament There were a vacuum and no element And your opinion would aswell desire To thinke no aire as to conceiue no fire Those torches wherewith we prolong the dayes The diâ—fâ—râ—nâ—e betvveene the elementarie and our mixt fire Which in the winter Capricorne assaies To drowne in Westerne seas t' enlarge the night Compar'd vnto the Sunne the heauens great light Are lesse by many hundreth times obscure Then is our mixt and compound fire impure Compar'd to that resplendent element This lower Vniuerse his chiefest ornament Our fire is nothing but a lightsome shade Of darksome thicke and pitchie grosenesse made But that aboue by being wholy pure From mixture of compounded nouriâ—ure And being farre remoued from our sight And vnacquainted with the blustering might Of Aeolus doth much resemblance beare Vnto the nature of the heauenly spheare Of the matter of the hâ—auens But heauenly God what matter may I name Of which thou didst the heauenly arches frame Vncertaine I resemble euerie howre The cocke that stands vpon some steepled towre Which doth as oft new place and maister find As in the aire we feele a change of wind Sometimes I am of Aristotles traine Sometimes I follow Plato's mind againe Tracking the foot-steps of the Stagirite I rob the firmament of mixture quite I do auerre that Gods omnipotence Did fashion heauen of a quintessence Sith that the elements directly flie Some to the center others to the skie But heauens course giuing no inch of ground Is euer turned in a circled round Their motion dures not but they so abide As God the worlds first day did them diuide But neuer-breathing heauen still doth runne That constant pâ—sting course it hath begun It treads one path mou'd with vnburdened waight And knowes not what it is a teeme to baite The earth and water fire and aire vnited Are with an inbred warring hate delighted Cauâ—ing in time their springing and their fall Increase and decrease suffring not at all Beneath the horned planet any forme For one halfe houre one subiect to adorne But heauen neuer knowes death's equall rigor Growing in yearâ—s it groweth not in vigor Nor weares with vse but 's flowring eld may beare Resemblance to his childhood euery where Tracing againe the steps of Plato's skill Hovv aâ—d to vvhat vse the elements may be in the heaâ—eâ—s according to Platoes opinion The heau'nly orbes with elements I fill Th' earth makes them solid that they neuer craue A fleeting disposition to haue The aire transparant fire makes them light Hote nimble actiue and resplendant bright And all the eadges which do counter-kisse Their fellow-wheeling globes do neuer misse Of water whose cold humor stops the course Of burning heate arising from the source Of their swift motion lest the heauenly land Should be conuerted to a flaming brand Not that I equalize these elements The differencâ— betweene those elements wherof the heauens and those wherâ—of the Sublunarie bodiâ—s are compounded Of which I frame the heau'nly tenements To those dull bodies which are here below Which men by sight and frequent handling know They are all pure a heau'nly harmonie Combines their substances eternally Their aire is free from tossing and their fire From burning and their earth doth not desire From his high mansion to tumble downe Nor doth their water fleete vpon the ground Lo here th'extent of humane surque drie Blinded with error and simplicitie Which dares as though his cunning could calcine The matter of the heau'nly orbes define With an vnbridled tongue what wood and stone Th' Almightie chose to carpenter his throne I rather had still doubtfull to remaine Then lead awrie the simple of my traine Waiting for holie Paul his rediscent Orfreed from the vicious pesterment Ofthis rebellious flesh which doth depresse My clogged soule with counter-heauinesse These eyes may see the beauties of that place Diuersâ—â—â—â—nions touching the number of the spâ—â—ares If then I ought would see saue Gods bright face But men as manie curious questions moue About
the number of the spheares aboue One holds but one through which he makes to glide The eyes wherewith this All is beautifide Like as amid the sea the scaly traine Diuide the surges of the watrie plaine Another iudging all things by his eye Marking the seauen planets in the skie To haue a diuerse course and that beside The other starres which fixed do abide Guilding by night the heau'nly firmament Runne but one way his wise experiment By such his obseruation hath found Eight â—undry lofts in the celeâ—tiall round Another maâ—king in the starrie skie A three-fold motion dancing actiuely And that onâ— bodie hath but one sole race By naturall instinct doth forthwith place A ninth and tenth not numbring in that count Th imperiall spheare which doth the rest surmount Where streames of nectar neuer cease to flow Where soule-delighting pleasures euer grow Where one may see aâ— all times flourishing The pleasing beauties of a happie spring Where life doth neuer die through crooked eld Where Gods high parliament is alway held His glorious essence being hemmed in With troupes of many a flaming Seraphin And soules of men which he hath purchased By hauing of that bodie murthered Whose glorious resurrection and ascent Hath plac'd the earth aboue the firmament But here I le stop my ouer-posting teame Not daring to discusse so deepe a theame Câ—eli â—ncomion O faire and ten-fold round which hat'st to stay Life of this Vniuerse spring of the day Mould of thy selfe begetter of the yeare Which neuer changest place yet dost appeare To flie so fast that onely in our mind We can thy neuer-lingring motion find Finite yet infinite from growing free From discord death and hatefull miserie Which louest sound and dancing harmonie still like thy selfe in all eternitie Transparant light law of this lower round Which with thy limits euery thing dost bound And yet vnbounded art which dost enfold What euer thing this lower All doth hold Throne of great Ioue I willingly would sing The various orders of thy quauering If time would giue me leaue and that this Day Would not be ouer-long by that essay Besides I feare that some detracting tongue Will blab abroad among each vulgar throng That to each gale of wind for small auaile My tatling Muse doth spread her fardled saile And that a longer web she moughten weaue She quils each thread not caring when to leaue But thinke who ere thou be that reasonlesse I do not here so many workes expresse Of the creation sith I vnderstand By that great firmament which Gods right hand VVhat is vâ—derstood by the firmament Gen. 1.6 Did hang this day betweene our watrie plaine And that aboue the skie the whirling traine Of spheares and aire and th'hottest element Which make a large deuiding sunderment Betweene the waters of our azurde deepe And those which God aboue the skie doth keepe Now in the learned bookes of high esteeme Against â—hose â—hich hold no vvaters aboue the firâ—ament My ignorance hath not so litle seene But weâ—l I know that their so curious skill Presumes with subtile arguments to fill Their volumes scoffing at the christall spheare And at the waters which are placed there And at that ocean which doth all containe Which vnderneath his compasse doth remaine Simil. But as a modest matrons beauteous face Who as contented with the bounteous grace Which nature franckly hath bestow'd vpon her Striues not with painting to increase her honour Of her so faire art-wanting countenance Deserues more praise then doth th'immodest glaunce The wanton gesture and the mincing pace The borrowed tresses and depainted grace Wherewith a curtisan of filthie trade Maintaines her beauty which begins to fade So of the holy tongue I more account Although the country phrase it not surmount And that bare truth be her sole ornaments Then of Athenian painted eloquence And guilded lines wherewith men striue to shade The errors which their vaine conceits haue made I rather had my reason oft should lie Then from the sacred truth once go awry Gen. 1.6 Psal 104.3.148.4 Which in so manie places loud doth crie That God hath plac'd some waters ore the skie Be it that their estranged qualitie With these below haue small affinitie Or turn'd vnto a cloudie element Do compasse round the starrie firmament Or be it as some say a christall spheare Embrace the golden firmament each where And why shall I tost with vncertainties Conclude of these as doubtlesse verities Aâ—g a pari I see not why mans reasonable sence Should not beleeue that his omnipotence Who whilome made the sea like wals to stand For Iacobs troupe to passe as on dry land Could not aboue the wheeling globes compose That watrie spheare the others to enclose Thou seest that euerie howre the clouds contâ—ine So many seas which threatning vs with raine Are only vnderpropt with feeble aire Tost with each wind that thither doth repaire And yet so weake that it can hardly beare The litlest burthen any one can reare Thou seest the sea which doth our mother bound Spite of all accidents remaineth round His waues not daring once their bounds to passe To equalize their circled watrie masse Why then beleeu'st thou not this vaulted spheare Vpon his backe a totall sea may beare Yet that the water firmely may abide O stonie heart perswade thy selfe beside That God sustaines those waters in that case And thinke if natures working take such place Arg. a miâ—â—â—i That pearle and christall glasse are by her skill Compos'd of streames which droppingly distill What then at once can the Almightie do Which did create both heauen and nature too Perswade thy vnbeleeuing mind againe That this proud pallace where thou hold'st thy raigne Tho built with wondrous art would soone decay If on a watrie ground it did not stay For as the braine doth hold the highest seate Simil. Of mans small vniuerse t'alay the heate Which from the cordiall parts doth euer flow With his coole moisture altogether so That God might mixe the water with the flame And coole the ardor of the heau'nly frame He plac'd aboue the starrie firmament A vaulted sea of that moist element Meâ—tiâ—â—ing tâ—e waters aboâ—â— the firmament be assumes occasâ—â—n to mention the floud which be describes moâ—â— elegantly These higher waters as the stories go Ioyning themselues vnto the flouds below And striuing with their ouer-swelling pride The proudest mountaine tops with waues to hide Had drown'd this All if dancing on the floud Noe had not shut the world into a wood Building an Arke a huge and mightie frame Keeping aliue all creatures in the same They were no sooner in but straight the Lord With onely power of his all-mightie word Opened the doore of that vast horrid caue Where Aeolus his crew their dwelling haue And bolted in the cloud-expelling North And let the rainy southerne issue forth Which gins forthwith to wag his dropping wing His beard hath no one haire
In their effects as humming on they flie I find that they resemble properly Foure times of th'yeare foure humors that abound Foure simples whereof nature doth compound Each mingled bodie and the foure-fold age Which man runs ouer in his pilgrimage The wind which doth with faire Aurora dwell The Eastwind Resembles in his nature passing wellâ— The naked sommer and the tender age The fire and choler apt to kindle rage The wind which barbrous Africa doth greet The Soutâ— Is like the ioyfull Spring the aire most sweet That age wherein man doth in strength excell The bloud wherein the soule of man doth dwell The wind which doth with drops bedew the West The VVâ—st The water and the phlegme resembles best The age wherein mans strength fals to decay The time when hoarie winter beareth sway The North. The wind which from the shiuering North doth flie May be compar'd and not iniuriously To Autumne earth and melancholie sad And to the age when man becomes a lad Not â—â—at vntill this time we haue not learned More winds then East West North and South are tearmed The man that liues vpon the watrie plaine Hath on his compasse noted thirtie twaine Though as the places number do exceed From whence these exhalations do proceed So are the winds in number numberlesse Which cleanse the aire of mistie fogginesse Yet from what place so ere they sallie forth They mustred are by South East West or North. The effâ—cts of the winds Sometimes they with a whizzing broome do sweepe The aire where duskie cloudes their court do keepe Sometimes they drie the fields which drowned bin With teares of Phaeton his weeping kin Sometimes they temper with a welcome cold The aire which while the fainting dog-daies hold Do frie for heate They ripe the ruddie peare The beane in huske the corne within the eare They make the winged ship to flie with ease Throughout the world vpon the raging seas And with a liâ—gring hast whirling around The milstone vnder which the graine is ground To vndeuided atomies they bring The seed which from the earth they made to spring Diuerse effects of thâ— hote exhalatioâ—â— Now if the fume be hote and glutinous And yet vnable to be mutinous Against the ysicles â—hat rule and raigne Amid the aire then doth it still remaine Houering betweene vs and the middle skie Vntill it kindled be and downeward flie Iust like a squib that serues for sportfull games Or like an arrow feathered all with flames But when againe the exhalation Of the comets Surmounts cold winters habitation It lights it selfe and makes a blazing starre Foredooming some mischance that is not farre But then his flame hauing more nouriture Then th' other vapour longer doth endure Whether the fume ytost withouten stay Become a brand by heauens circled sway Kindling it selfe like coales that ouer-spread With straw do for a while lye seeming dead Which afterward the artisan doth shake Of darksome night a lightsome day to make Or whether from the highest element It do receiue his firie nutriment Like as the torch of flaming life depriued Is by the burning linke againe reuiued According as the vapour 's thicke or rare Of the other fierie impressions in the aire Long equall large vnequall round or square It makes those various shapes in th' aire appeare Whose sight doth make the sottish quake for feare Here doth a steeple seeme to flame by night There doth a cruell dragon come in sight Here is the torch and there the arrow flies The forked beame and speare here greet our eyes And there the dart which crossing in their waies Clashing together sparkle out their raies The wanton goate with firie tassels dight By often skips doth simple men affright The bloudie tresses of a twinkling starre Do threaten on the other side from farre To plague the neat-hâ—ards with tempestuous haile With stormes to souce the mariners that saile To punish shepheards with their flockes decay And citizens with many a bloudie fray What rumbling noise in heauen do I heare Of the thunder The wals of this great All as doth appeare In euery corner suffer batterment It seemes Proserpina hath some intent To set at large her furious daughters three And leaue her queenedome of blacke Tartarie And in the aire to hold her hellish raigne I know that some do studie â—o maintaine That when the vapour doth ascend on high Compact of aire and water euenly And burning vapours mounting vp likewise Into the middle region of the skies The hotter fume y compassed around With cold thicke cloudes which in the aire abound Doubles his heate and taking heart of grace Makes warre on his cold neighbour foes apace Simil. The lion banisht from the forrest wide His natiue home and forced to abide In some straight den where maides and idle boyes Do hisfe and mocke and anger him with toyes Doth fill his narrow parke with dreadfull sound Runs forth and backe in such his straightned pound And being mad doth not so much desire His libertie as to reuenge his ire Right so this fier crauing for to rent His floating prison cannot be content But â—till bestirs him running round about Wiâ—h grumbling rumbling and a thundring rout Vntill he make a renting breach below And thundring cannon-shot on vs do throw For longing in these sharpe and cruell warres To ioyne his weake enfeebled souldiers Vnto his brother forces and obtaine In Cynthia's lap that he may still remaine He snarlingly endeuours foorth to get But with so huge an host he is beset And so intrenched euery where about That though he striue on this side to get out And now on that side skirmish with the cold Yet finds he many a souldier that is bold Couragiously to stand against his strength And so despairing furiously at length Forgets his honour and doth backe retire With shame enough as wanting his desire The ocean boiles for feare and Neptunes band Effects of the thunâ—â—r Finding the sea too straight do hie to land The earth doth quake the shepheard all alone Is hardly safe vnder the rockie stone The skie is rift in twaine and Plutoes selfe Lookes pale and bleake like some night-wandring elfe The aire doth slame throughout with firie flashes For then the lightning which so fiercely dashes Against the cloud the which it doth surprise Doth sparkle foorth those flames which dimme our eyes Right like the man on whom the Muses fawne Simil. Doth with his steele before the morning dawne Compell the sparkes to issue from the flint Vntill they kindle his halfe burned lint And which is more the lightning being framed Stranâ—e effeâ—â—â— of the ligâ—tning Of fumes which of themselues are still enflamed Can breake the bones with his admired art Yet keepe the flesh from feeling any smart Can melt the coine wherewith the niggard's blest Yet with his burning force not hurt the chest Can breake the foyning blade short off in twaine Yet